Lil's Story - The latest in the 'Stories from the Lunch Club' series
I was born in Avenue Road, Aston Cross which is just outside Birmingham City Centre.
I have a brother and a sister. My father was very strict and whenever I went
out I always had to be to be home by 10pm. There was no way I could answer my
father back. One of the things I remember about my father is that we were never
allowed to talk when eating. I still observe this rule to this today, whenever I
am eating.
I attended St Mary’s Church and School in Aston. I didn’t like school and was
always getting into trouble. My behaviour improved after I was given the
cane.
I left school when I was fourteen years old and went to
work over the road from where I lived at a company named Dobson & Crowther.
They made paper bags, and tea bags. We did not have a bath room. We used a tub which we filled with water. When we needed a bath we had to go into the wash house that mom and the house next door did the washing in.
As children we use to enjoy getting the trams from Aston Cross to town, Pipe Hayes Park and the Lickey Hills. The numbers of the trams we use to catch are 26, 6, 84, 78, 2 see photos at the bottom of the page). As a family we went on holidays a lot by train.
When I first got married, we could not afford to buy a house, and
livedin my sisters’ front room. We put our names on the waiting list for a Council House and had to wait for over 2 years before we were offered a flat.
My interest was dancing,and watching speedway racing.
When the war started my dad was let off work to go into the Fire Service. He was at
the Fire Station at Gosta Green to start with.
My dad was also on guard duty in our area and had to go around checking everyone
was OK after the sirens sounded or there was any bombing.
I remember one day following a night of bombing, the whole of Avenue Road was
evacuated whilst bodies were removed.
As a child growing up I remember when the sirens sounded at night we all had to go
into the factory next door to shelter. It was spooky and dark in side but my
siblings and I found it fun.
I have been going to South Aston Lunch Club for over 15 years. I enjoy going and
over the years I have made a lot of friends.
History of Dobson and Crowther
Dobson & Crowther was established in Birmingham in 1904 and became the largest producer of paper bags
for use by shops to pack their loose dry goods in. This was the case until just after WW2 when the manufacturers began pre-packaging their products. This change in packaging was soon to spell the end of the need for the paper bags that Dobson and Crowther produced.
I have a brother and a sister. My father was very strict and whenever I went
out I always had to be to be home by 10pm. There was no way I could answer my
father back. One of the things I remember about my father is that we were never
allowed to talk when eating. I still observe this rule to this today, whenever I
am eating.
I attended St Mary’s Church and School in Aston. I didn’t like school and was
always getting into trouble. My behaviour improved after I was given the
cane.
I left school when I was fourteen years old and went to
work over the road from where I lived at a company named Dobson & Crowther.
They made paper bags, and tea bags. We did not have a bath room. We used a tub which we filled with water. When we needed a bath we had to go into the wash house that mom and the house next door did the washing in.
As children we use to enjoy getting the trams from Aston Cross to town, Pipe Hayes Park and the Lickey Hills. The numbers of the trams we use to catch are 26, 6, 84, 78, 2 see photos at the bottom of the page). As a family we went on holidays a lot by train.
When I first got married, we could not afford to buy a house, and
livedin my sisters’ front room. We put our names on the waiting list for a Council House and had to wait for over 2 years before we were offered a flat.
My interest was dancing,and watching speedway racing.
When the war started my dad was let off work to go into the Fire Service. He was at
the Fire Station at Gosta Green to start with.
My dad was also on guard duty in our area and had to go around checking everyone
was OK after the sirens sounded or there was any bombing.
I remember one day following a night of bombing, the whole of Avenue Road was
evacuated whilst bodies were removed.
As a child growing up I remember when the sirens sounded at night we all had to go
into the factory next door to shelter. It was spooky and dark in side but my
siblings and I found it fun.
I have been going to South Aston Lunch Club for over 15 years. I enjoy going and
over the years I have made a lot of friends.
History of Dobson and Crowther
Dobson & Crowther was established in Birmingham in 1904 and became the largest producer of paper bags
for use by shops to pack their loose dry goods in. This was the case until just after WW2 when the manufacturers began pre-packaging their products. This change in packaging was soon to spell the end of the need for the paper bags that Dobson and Crowther produced.
No. 2 Tram at Aston Cross
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Tram coming up Victoria Road from lichfield Road towards junction with Park Road, Park Road Church was located just round to the right in this photo.
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Aston Railway Station, Lichfield Road
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No. 70 Tram at Rednal Terminus - gateway to the Lickey Hills - Oh happy days!!!
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Lil now, on the left and as a youing mom with her three year old son.
If you are interested in reading more about the Trams of Birmingham visit this site - http://www.robertdarlaston.co.uk/Trams.htm
